a gabry girl still living in a barren world

How do you like your eggs? Fertilized.

On Thursday March 19th I went in for my egg retrieval. The part of this journey that I have been the most anxious about. I’ll run through what this day was like.

I woke up bright and early from what wasn’t really a good night’s sleep (that was to be expected). I took a shower and put on a little bit of make-up so I didn’t completely look like a zombie post procedure. I woke up Brandon about a half hour before we were going to leave in order for him to, um, ya know do “his part”. I fetched him some coffee to give him some alone time. Yes, this is all as awkward as you’re imagining it to be. Nothing about IVF feels normal.

I tucked Brandon’s sample under my vest to keep at body temperature and we were off to the fertility center. Shortly after we got there we were brought back to the area with the recovery and procedure rooms. We started off in the recovery room where my nurse (who was awesome) took my vitals and had us sign some papers. She humored Brandon and took his blood pressure too. It was a little bit high. I think his nerves were worse than mine. After she was done she brought me a nice warm blanket and I laid in bed til they were ready for me. You’d think my anxiety and nerves would be through the roof but oddly enough I was completely calm and at peace.

A new nurse came in and said she needed me to pee and then we were off to the procedure room. I walked in the room which was filled with about 4 other people – the embryologist, the nurse, the anesthesiologist, and eventually the doctor. The anesthesiologist slapped a nasal cannula on me that delivered oxygen and within seconds placed an IV in my hand – ugh I was really hoping it wouldn’t go in my hand. I positioned my legs where they told me to do so and then I was told I would begin to feel the medicine. Last thing I remember was looking up at the clock on the wall.

When I came to I was back in my recovery room. Apparently I got there in a wheel chair which I have no recollection of. Brandon said I looked hilarious and was cracking up when they wheeled me in. He decided it was a moment that needed to be cherished and snapped a picture. What a stand-up guy! The first thing I remember hearing was I did great and I just started crying happy tears. Yes I was drugged out of my mind but at least they weren’t sad tears! I kept telling Brandon how much I loved him and told him not to let go of my hand. He was adamantly shoving crackers and water in my face. He must of been instructed to make sure I eat and drink right away. Or he just really enjoyed treating me like a drugged-out-parrot. I felt aaaamazing. Propofol is cool. I remember not feeling any pain and couldn’t believe it. I idiotically thought this was how I’d feel the rest of the day.

In my stupor I heard the nurse say something about our eggs and Brandon repeated it back to me.

“9 eggs”

9 eggs? I asked. Is that good?

Very good, replied the nurse.

OK, 9 eggs. Not bad! Now lets just get these little guys fertilized!

I started to come out of my drunken spell and they brought me to the bathroom because I had to pee before they would release me. A quick piddle in the toilet and I was back in my room slowly getting dressed. We were out of the door about 30 minutes after my procedure. And that’s when the pain kicked in. Dammit I knew that was too good to be true. While the pain wasn’t excruciating it also wasn’t mild. It was somewhere in between. Brandon got me home and settled on the couch with nurse Eden by my side. He grabbed me some food and I took some Tylenol 3. I was in and out of naps the rest of the day. We wouldn’t hear from the nurse until the following day with the update of how everything did over night.

I got the anticipated call the next day.

My nurse opened the conversation by declaring it was good news! Yes!

Out of the 9 eggs retrieved, 8 were mature, and 7 have been successfully fertilized.

7!!! Lucky number 7!!!

She said they would call again tomorrow (which is today) with another update and give us our transfer date. Ahhhh we wait again! Please please stay strong little embabies! Brandon and I were joking yesterday how it’s exhausting being parents to 7 kids. So exhausting that we were in bed by 8 o’clock. I blame it on the Tylenol with codeine, I’m not sure what Brandon’s excuse was…

Today I got the update while I was at work. I sprinted downstairs while yelling to my co-workers “I GOTTA TAKE THIS CALL!!”

Again the opening of the conversation began with “I’ve got good news!”

“You still have 7 embryos and your transfer will be a 5 day transfer so you’ll be back in on Tuesday”

We still have all 7 AND they are strong enough to make it to day 5!! What the hell, is this real life!?

Yes it is.

I probably won’t be doing too many more updates after this point because I’d like to keep the status of our pregnancy private until I’m ready to announce it – whether it be positive or negative. All I ask is that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers and keep everything crossed for us.